Save Me From Myself
by Fangrules
Summary: Post WW2,Auschwitz death camp has just been liberated leaving thousands of souls to fend for themselves.Max is a psychologist treating a few of these people,one of which is the closed off silent patient only known as Fang.Not for the faint-hearted
1. Prologue

**Ok, just warning here that this isn't going to be for squeamish people. There will be character death and so on. **

**_Fangrules_: well, I've done another war fic but it's not as…intense? I guess as this. Did we succeed or just fall flat on our bums? Lol! Review and tell us! Ignore goldensunflowers attempt at ass-kissing she's sucking up bigtime! Lol!**

**_Goldensunflowers_: hellllo :) this is goldensunflowers (co-writer-OMG! ;P) who just wants to say that this FF is totally awesome partly-no, mainly because of her-and no, I am NOT ass-kissing, court- ;) oh, and egbert the orange duckie too. and maybe…..eugene the purple duckie…;) jk, jk, of course, Eugene! :)**

Death. He found himself thinking about this topic more and more every day. He couldn't think of anything else. It hurt too much to remember what he had lost so he let it slip away until he couldn't remember the sound of laughter or the taste of something sweet. Every pleasant memory was wiped from his mind because it had become unbearable to recall them, they were not meant to be remembered in a place like this; his prison, his hell.

He didn't know how long he'd been there; he stopped counting after the first week because it seemed so futile. At first he'd tried to stay strong, to remember what was waiting for him outside the fences caging him in like an animal. He'd tried to stay strong when he'd rebelled and refused to bend to the orders he was given. As punishment he was hung with his arms tied behind his back until his shoulders popped out of their sockets and then forced to work amongst the thousands of other prisoners.

He'd tried to stay strong when they'd made him carry the corpses in the gas chambers to the crematorium where the smell of seared flesh and burned hair hung in the air. But slowly as he watched innocent people cruelly murdered, watched them wither away until they were begging for death, he realized that he _couldn't_ stay strong.

With what little resistance he possessed crushed he let it consume him too; he'd given up all hope of escape, of some day being reunited with his family. He let them rip away what little pride he'd managed to keep since his arrival, he let them beat him to an inch of his life because now he was one of them; the poor souls begging for death that he had pitied when he first walked through the gates to hell.

He lay in the small bunk, barely enough room to slide in let alone move, and thought about dying alone in that massive camp surrounded by disease and death. He wouldn't be remembered, he was just another poor soul trapped with no chance of escape. And it was true. He was one of them. One of the lifeless. He thought how death would be a heavenly escape from these cramped quarters, the back breaking work and torture, the constant smell of burnt flesh and the cries from the innocent as they, one by one, were carried away to the gas chambers where they died a slow painful death, gasping and wheezing for fresh air that would never reach their lifeless lungs.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he listened to them now. The chambers never fell silent, the crematoriums never stopped burning. It was a nonstop cycle of death. He remembered some of the attempts to muffle the screaming; two soldiers had revved two motorcycles in hope it would block out the horrific sound but it was no use. Nothing could shield their ears from the wails of pain coming from the gas chambers. He didn't want to become one of them, he didn't. Yet he had no choice, as he was brought outside and whipped again, for not bringing having the strength to move all of the dead bodies crammed into the gas chambers to the crematorium. He couldn't stand the looks and cries from the other prisoners as they held back sobs for the cruelly murdered people; for themselves and their approaching fate as they were herded in.

He couldn't stand the pain of the fresh gaping wounds on his shredded bloody back. And yet, he was one of them, no matter what he did; and he joined the ranks of the damned willingly, giving up what was left of his pride and dignity, and all of them, a great mass of tortured prisoners, all craving for the sweet taste of death that would soon be their escape.

For the first time since he had arrived a single salty tear slipped out of the corner of his eye, sliding down his cheek marking a path through the dirt and dust and for the first time, he cried.

… ***Goldensunflowers and Fangrules peek up from behind pile of fortified pillows* and? What did you think? This is a first for both of us so please tell us your thoughts! it's short but this is just the Prologue.**

**Fangrules - The plot is all thanks to Kali98 who trusts us enough to write this! Lol! I think she made a big mistake but anyway! Haha! **

**SO! We will update if we get a good resonse, Fangrules has no patience for unwanted stories ;-) besides we have confidence in this one! **

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	2. Part 1 and 2

**A message form the authors: words cannot describe how we both felt wen we read your reviews. it makes us proud of what we have done so far and we hope to continue at the same standard and makes us even more determined to make this fiction as brilliant as we are able. **

**Part 1: Liberated**

Fang awoke in his bed, sweaty and wide awake. You could barely call the concrete slab he was lying on a bed, really. It was so small, his feet and half of his calves dangled off the edge.

Loud gruff voices could be heard somewhere near and Fang shot up so suddenly he knocked his head on the top of his bunk. He winced and reached up to the already swelling bump and came back with his fingers sticky red with blood. He grimaced and reached for the hem of his shirt, dabbing gently when the door burst open, causing him to jump slightly before he regained control of his racing heart, preparing himself for the flick of the whip on his back.

Instead, he heard a voice. "You're free." The voice barked harshly, sounding slightly strained, "Now get out!"

Whispers and voices exploded around Fang making his injured head throb at the sudden change of volume. He stumbled out of the dingy cot, as hordes of now freed prisoners surged forward, pushing past Fang, making him lose his balance, almost toppling forward, as he reached out to clutch the closest bunk post. He shook his head, trying to shake the thick layer of fuzziness that seemed to wrap tightly around his brain. He forced himself to be rational, it had to be a trick. They wouldn't just be released, that wasn't the way it worked, they came in and they never left yet the barracks were almost empty by the time he had finished his thought and he hadn't heard a single scream or gunshot. Maybe this was real, maybe they really were free. He stood stock still as the last of the men shuffled out of the barracks into the frigid air outside before hesitantly following them. He stepped over the few weaker people who had been trampled during the initial rush to get out and cautiously took a step out into the snow which crunched beneath his bare feet.

The sting of the freezing snow on the soles of his feet was almost pleasant as he stood there, listening for the whistles to be blown and the guns to start shooting into the hoards of people gathered in small groups around the camp. The only thing was that he couldn't see a single Nazi…_anywhere_. It was as if they had simply vanished into thin air.

_Come on you idiot, you're free. Move! _Fang clenched his hands and staggered forward. The campgrounds, usually so filled with armed guards barking orders at the prisoners, were silent. The trucks that brought tens of thousands innocent lives to their deaths were silent and parked, the drivers gone. The crematoriums were silent-for the first time in years – of the never ending screams that usually erupted from them. Instead, in their place was a hissing and crackling and when Fang looked over he winced as the brightness of the massive fire hit his eyes. They were gone. The crematoriums were nothing more than a blanket of fire being quickly surrounded by the prisoners for warmth.

It finally hit him them. This wasn't a trick, it wasn't some sort of twisted joke the Nazis were playing, he was free, they all were! Fang felt a rush of exhilarated joy flood through him which seemed to make the throbbing momentarily stop. He was free. He was _free! _Never had he ever dreamt this would ever come true. He'd always thought that one day he would be chosen from the ranks and sent to the gas chambers, becoming faceless and rid of like all the other dead bodies. He was one in tens of thousands; surely, he would be forgotten. He would become just a number in the rising death statistics. He would mean nothing to anyone, just one of the murdered prisoners. But he proved them wrong. He hadn't died in the gas chambers, hadn't died of the diseases that seemed to multiply day by day, hadn't been shot by the guards for amusement. No.

He was free. His heart racing, adrenaline pumping, he raced straight for the gates. The gates to his freedom, to the rest of his future, to the rest of his life. He walked out of the gates, every inch of him tingling, as if he was on fire. He couldn't help the smile that burst onto his face. Pausing, he stopped in wonder, reaching a hand up toward his face as if it wasn't connected to the rest of his body. He had never smiled, not once since he had arrived here. _Now to get as far away as possible,_ he thought, as his stomach gurgled. _And to find food too_, he added. The bump on his head seemed to answer back by throbbing even more, sending painful vibrations through Fang's head. He needed food desperately, he realized. Looking down at himself, he also realized it was below -15 degrees and he was dressed only in very thin clothes that were ripped and torn. They hung from his emaciated form so they looked three sizes too big. He needed to find shelter and food fast. He considered going back to the barracks because even though they were nothing more than four walls, those four walls were what separated them from the raging storms outside. He pushed that to the back of his mind though, he was _out_ and he was _never_ going back _in_.

He headed for the path that led away into the woods. Looking back once more at the wretched buildings that had once housed thousands that were murdered, now empty, he vowed never to return. Glancing around, he saw clumps of people just standing there. He looked around one more time and squinting he could make out black figures in the distance, trudging away. They just left these people here. He shook his head. They must have a heart of stone, he thought, as he turned away. Before he could fully walk onto the pathway, he was nearly swamped by the sudden bursts of pain in his head. Reaching up, he ran a hand through his hair as he leant against a tree trunk, and came back with a bloody hand. His cut was still bleeding. _It doesn't matter_, he thought furious. _I need to get away. Away from this stinking pit of death..._

He half ran down the path, determined to find a place to stay for the night. He walked for what seemed like ages, surrounded by the silence which he had missed so much since his incarceration in hell. It was a welcome reprieve from the screams and painful moans that had been ever-present in the camp. His head throbbed so violently, he stumbled and sank to his knees on the cold muddy path. He felt dizzy; light headed. He was close, he could tell. He just had to get up and keep going, there would be time for rest later yet he could not force himself up to continue. Instead his vision blurred until he couldn't make out the trees from the snow and slowly the darkness consumed him.

**Part 2: The Beginning**

Soft music played in the background as the car took the worn road towards the camp. This would be the first time any of its passengers had set foot in Auschwitz and they all hoped it would be the last. News of the Liberation had spread quickly amongst the people so it wasn't surprising that they had been called in the dead of night and told their services were required.

Maximum Martinez sat with her head pressed against the cool glass of the window, gazing out at the thick blanket of unbroken white snow. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear a word the others around her said until a pat on her shoulder made her look up at the strawberry-blond man sitting beside her.

"We're coming up to it." Iggy Griffiths informed her, gesturing a little further ahead where the outline of a massive structure could be seen. He shook his head, his crystal blue eyes sad. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Auschwitz death camp."

That one sentence broke the relatively happy atmosphere that had surrounded the small group since they had been picked up. The reality that they were about to enter the grounds where who knew how many people had been murdered finally began to set in.

The gates were wide open and only a single soviet guard stood by with a cigarette in hand and a grim expression on his face.

Monique Angelo took a deep breath as they passed the first of the victims; huddled under a blanket and clutching a young child tightly. The woman looked up at the sound of the car making Monique bite her lip. Dark purple circles surrounded the woman's large green eyes which seemed to pierce straight through her. It left a chill running down Monique's spine as they continued on.

She wished she could help more of them; throughout the war she had been very active in the hospitals and treating whoever she could but it was never enough for her. That was why she had agreed to take the position, because this time it could actually make a difference. Forcing herself to think professionally and not compassionately she concentrated on her hands which lay in her lap.

The car came to a halt all too soon and everyone steeled themselves. Iggy gave Max a reassuring smile which she returned half-heartedly before he climbed out the car followed by Max, Monique and lastly the only one in the group who didn't know anyone beforehand stepped out.

Sam Walker stuffed his hands in the thick coat he was wearing the second the cold air hit him. His tortoise-shell eyes scanned the groups of people dotted around, all huddled together for warmth and returned to the others. "Where should we start?" he asked softly, puffs of white leaving his mouth as he spoke.

"I'll start with the children." Max said straight away, her chocolate eyes swirling, shining fiercely. She had known the second she'd received the phone call exactly who she would help when they arrived. The children were most likely to recover from such a traumatic experience while the adults would never move on; every gruesome moment would be carved into their minds but there was hope for the young ones.

Monique nodded in agreement, "I'll go with Max." she shifted ever so slightly closer to Max as if to say she wasn't changing her mind and shot Iggy a glance as if to challenge him.

Iggy sighed but didn't argue; she wouldn't be swayed. "Alright but remember, we can only help one each. No matter how much we want to help them all we can't. We must do our part and that will be enough." He aimed his words at the women and got a steely glare in reply from Max.

"What we do will _never_ be enough to help them overcome what has happened to them. And dear brother, you should know that I don't follow rules anyway." And with that Max marched off with Monique right behind her leaving the men rolling their eyes.

**Fangrules: you can thank Goldensunflowers for the majority of this chapter, I have been really busy so I wasn't able to write anything longer, sorry! I hope it's satisfactory though! I'm not really pleased with it actually so I'll probably rewrite it at some point… it's not modesty, it's da truth! Ignore Goldensunflowers, she can be a pain wen she wants to be ;-)**

**Goldensunflowers: welllll, i hope u guys liked it...i thought it was okay-yeah, we might need to rewrite some parts to get it up to our standards ;) and i didnt write the whole chap :P, Fangrules did some work too. *turns to Fangrules* stop acting modest! ;) R&R!**

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	3. Part 3 and 4

**Part 3: Auschwitz**

"How can we only choose two?" Monique breathed, her eyes running from one emaciated child to the next. As the two women made their way deeper into the camp.

Max sighed, unable to find an answer to that. The children's eyes followed them as they moved through into the depths of the camp, some curious, some petrified and others filled with hatred.

Some women or older children pulled the younger ones closer to them, eyeing the cases both Nudge and Max held filled with medical supplies and food rations with fear written in their eyes.

Bile rose in the back of Max's throat as she thought how they probably had assumed she was here to hurt them. She felt the instant urge to prove them wrong, to show that she wasn't here to harm them but to help. As if right on cue a little boy no older than four ran straight passed them but then paused and backtracked to face them. He set his curious eyes on the two women, ignoring the desperate cries from his mother a few feet away.

Max took the opportunity to kneel and pop open the case to pull out a hard candy sweet wrapped in purple. Taking off the wrapping she held the golden treat out for the little boy whose eyes widened to the size of saucers. His mouth dropped open in a surprised 'O' before a massive smile graced his thin face. His hand shot out and Max placed the sweet in it.

His mother was still begging him to go back to her but it fell on def ears.

The boy stared at the candy for another long moment, obviously unsure of what to do with it so Max took out another sweet and popped it in her mouth. He followed her actions instantly and giggled.

Nudge ruffled his uncut hair from beside Max and the little boy blushed before darting over to his crying mother who threw open her arms for him to curl into.

He pointed to his mouth and started excitedly whispering to his mother and then turning to point at Max and Nudge. He waved at them happily and they both returned the enthusiastic gesture before they continued on.

Two hours later Max and Monique were surrounded by a small crowd of women and children, their supplies almost depleted and they had hardly scratched the surface. They had tended to the children first, giving them shots and bandaging their injuries and after giving them a sweet if only to see their eyes light up in amazement.

"There, all better." Max said gently and kissed the bandage she had just finished wrapping around a young girl's ankle. "Are you alright on your own?" she called to Monique who was tending to a woman and her baby.

"Perfect, don't worry." She assured and then added in a more playful tone, "You're starting to sound like Iggy."

Max rolled her eyes, "I'll meet you back at the car, I want to have a better look around."

Monique sighed and turned her attention fully to her best friend, "He's going to be furious." She warned as if that would stop Max form being stupid.

"When has that ever stopped me before? He likes to think I'm still a little kid, gives him a purpose but I'm perfectly capable of being left alone."

"M'kay, I'll say one second you were there, the next you were gone. How's that?" Monique mused and Max chuckled.

Monique returned to the mother and child while Max packed up her case and wandered even further into the camp.

**Part 4: Child In The Cellar**

She'd quickly realized that the inner camp was completely deserted, not that she was surprised. Max had heard that the Nazi's had evacuated ten days before so it stood to reason that the buildings would be abandoned. Barracks lined the right hand side of the road and further up a tall building loomed over her. She wandered around for a further hour and half, searching the buildings for any people but as she had suspected they were all deserted.

Exiting the last of the redbrick buildings Max rubbed her hands together to warm them up. Her face was flushed from the cold and her hair had escaped the bun she'd put it in to keep it out of her face while she worked. She pulled out the elastic and let her elbow length light brown hair fall down her back. There was only one place left to look and that was in a very battered brown shed set slightly aside from the other buildings. With no windows that allowed her to look in she was a little curious to find out what was inside.

Trudging across the thick patch of snow she placed her hand on the cold brass knob of the door. A shiver ran up her spine when a peculiar smell it her nose just before she opened the door. She paused for a moment, it was the same smell that had covered the entire death camp and clung to every person inside it. The smell of death. She took a deep breath and backed away from the door, the acidic taste of vomit rising in her mouth.

After a few minutes she calmed down enough to move towards the shed again. She knew what she would find before she opened the door, knew the sight would scar her and poison her dreams for years but she had to do it. She had to confirm what she already knew.

Her hand shaking she gripped the handle again and before she could lose her nerve yanked the frozen door open with a crack.

She staggered back a few feet both from the force required to open the door and the sight that met her eyes. They were children, at least twenty of them, all lying on the ground, some lying on top of others, their skin a ghostly white and wide open eyes glassy. The little girl closest to the door had a jagged gash along her throat, black blood frozen to her clothes and hair.

Shaking so hard she collapsed Max emptied her stomach onto the white snow, the smell even stronger now that the door was open. How long had they been there? She wondered with despair, tears blurring her vision. Since they had entered Auschwitz it had been surprisingly clear of the dead, they had only come across one or two corpses and hadn't approached them, distracting themselves with the living that needed their help so it was a shock. Even though she had been sure she could handle it that was the naïve expectations of one who had yet to see the dead. She crawled over to the side of the shed and leaned against it, dropping her head into her hands.

A loud groan made her head shoot up, her heart stopping. Her first thought was the children, maybe they weren't all dead but she knew that wasn't true, their bodies were frozen where they lay. The groan came again and just as she stood to find the source of the noise the ground collapsed beneath her and she was swallowed whole by the darkness.

She tensed instantly, her scream stuck in her throat as she hit the first step. She tumbled down, the darkness and light blending together until she had no idea which direction was up. The breath was knocked out of her as she helplessly bounced down the flights of stairs, hitting her head so hard she felt warm blood cascade down the side of her face. After what seemed like hours the stairs finally ended and she rolled on to the flat ground, her breath coming in short gasps as she shakily lifted herself to her knees.

Ignoring the shooting pain running through her right ankle she staggered to her feet, leaning heavily on the cold wall beside the stairs. She could see the light from the doorway she'd obviously fallen through as a speck at the top of them, the room she was now in was completely dark and smelled strongly of antiseptic but she could make out white tiles covering the floor. Her hands balled into fists, wondering what monstrosity she would find down here but for the moment she hobbled over to the steps and after feeling around for the last step she dropped down on it.

This was not what she had been expecting when she'd left Monique. She groaned out loud when she realized that she had been gone for far too long and her brother would be noting her absence by that point. She would_never_ hear the end of it.

Finally she decided that as soon as she had calmed down a little she would endeavor to climb back up the stairs and make her way back to the car.

A rustle from the darkness however wiped her mind of her plans. "Hello?" she whispered, the words coming out much more scared than she liked. She pushed herself up and squinted into the darkness, trying to see if there was anyone there. "Hello? Is someone there?" she tried again, this time managing to make it sound almost stern.

There was silence for another long while before more rustling and another sound, like whispers.

Her curiosity peaked Max took a step towards the darkness, "I know you're there. It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you." She called stepping forward again. "I'm here to help." She added soothingly.

Who would be down in this basement? Was it a lab? She'd heard the stories of people being taken to be experimented on, tortured until they died. Was that where she was?

"How did you get in?" A voice squeaked making Max blink in surprise. "I-it was locked. How did you get in?"

**goldensunflowers: heeheeheee! :) so what do you guys think, hmm?mini cliffie with Max and the mystery person! :) credit to Fangrules for this chapter cuz i didn't really write anything (soz!-eheehe, influence, court!- but you have to admit, this is a good chap written by her ;P) R&R!**

**Fangrules: sigh, you are allowed to blame me for this chapter…unfortunately. ;-) so, since I worked so hard on this (not really) and am in desperate need of a review fix (reviews are my weed), cud you review for us? Pretty please? I'm trying hard to keep it eventful too, hope I succeeded!**

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	4. Part 5,6 and 7

**Part 5: Mengele's Children**

A child. the words echoed through her mind making it ache dully. visions of the frozen children in the shed above her were stained on the back of her eyelids causing a shiver to run down her spine. taking a deep breath Max answered calmly, "Hello."

"Who are you? Why are you here? How did you get in?" the voice shot question after question at her but closer this time and if she strained her eyes she could just make out a silhoette in the darkness, to her right.

Max sat down on the cold white tiles and crossed her legs, hoping this gesture would show she wasn't ther to harm the child. "I fell upon the door, my friends and i are here to help." keeping it simple was probably the best thing to do, she didn't want to say anything that could frighten the child.

Very very slowly the outline of the child grew lighter and lighter until finally a little girl stepped out of the shadows. A nest of golden curls framed her face thin face, large purple circles surrounded her wide blue eyes shimmering with contained fear but there was a harder more determined edge to them making Max think of thin ice where you could still see the water underneath but you couldn't reach it. she was dressed in a frilly pink dress and dark pink ballet shoes. Max frowned at the sight. she'd seen a couple of children on the grounds in their own clothes but none looked so well...looked after? there wasn't a speck of dirt or phoesies that had adorned the other childrens clothes and besides being thinner than a child her age should be and in need of a good night's rest she was completely unharmed.

the image of the slashed throat of the girl in the shed flashed through Max's mind and she winced.

The girl let out a pained whimper. "Are you hurt?" Max's hand shot out towards the girl as if to comfort her but she dropped it almost instantly sensing that it wasn't a good idea.

the girl shook her head and srubbed her big blue eyes fiercly to rid them of the tears that had gathered.

"What's your name?" Max asked gently

"A-angel." was the mumbled reply she got.

"Hello Angel, it's very nice to meet you. I'm Max." she smiled warmly at Angel who chewed on her lip thoughfully. "Why are you down here, Angel?" Max asked after the silence continued for a few minutes.

Angel blinked in shock and more tears welled in her eyes. her hands balled into tight fists and she squeezed her eyes shut as her bottom lip trembled. "He brought us down here. He said we were special and that we had to hide but I knew better! I knew what he was going to do to us and then he left and everything was so _dark_ because they switched off the power and we _couldn't get out_!" She cried, tears streaming down her face and sobs wracking her tiny frame.

Hesitantly Max reached out to take the little girl's hand. "It's ok, no one is going to hurt you now." her mind spinning she pulled Angel into her lap and wrapped her arms around her securely. "what do you mean by 'us', Angel? are there more of you?" she couldn't help but think of the frozen children above and thought that maybe that was who she was talking about but she forced herself to not think about that. Angel needed her help, she couldn't help those children because they were dead but Angel was still alive and she needed to remember that.

Angel only cried harder and buried her face in Max's jacket. "Sweetie, I need you to tell me; are there more?" she stroked Angel's halo of curls and tipped her face up to look at her. "We need to help them if there are."

Angel sniffed and nodded, "Zephyr, you can come out. She won't hurt us."

At her words there was a shuffling in the darkness and then seconds later a small figure tepped out of the darkness. It was a boy; he had a mop of sandy-blond hair and wide blue eyes, not as bright as Angel's but more like crystal. His clothes were just as clean as Angel's, not a spot of dirt on his rumpled white shirt or his worn brown pants. he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot like he was ready to take flight at the slightest movement, he wrung his hands together nervously, eyes flitting from Angel to Max and back again. There was something about him though that made Max was to grab him into a hug and not let him go until he smiled, where Angel had tried to hide her fear and kept strong Zephyr didn't even bother, his eyes swam with emotion which made Max's heart constrict and a lump to develop in her throat.

"This is my brother." Angel said climbing out of Max's lap to take Zephyr's hand in her own little one.

"Are you..." Max trailed off, standing beside each other you couldn't doubt the family connection, "twins?" she guessed taking in the way that they almost moved together as one, if Angel sifted a little to the left Zephyr followed suite.

After a second where they glanced at each other and Angel gave a tiny nod Zephyr spoke, "Yes."

_Only one_. The two words begged to be heard but she shoved them to the back of her mind. No, she would take them both and there was nothing her brother could do to stop her. Granted he would be extremely angry at her for getting lost and then falling into a cellar and Max knew he would probably blow a gasket when she arrived with not only _one_ but _two_ children both of which she planned to take back with them but there was no way he would be able to convince her to leave one behind. She honestly couldn't care less though, they _needed_ her and she would help them no matter what.

**Part 6: Detour**

Silence hung over the occupants of the car as it had done for the last fifteen minutes. Occasionally one would look up and open their mouth to say something but would then change their mind and return to staring out the window. The only noise besides the crunch of dirt and ice beneath the tires was the twins whispering softly to each other.

Angel's gaze slid to the man sitting opposite her, he was very tall with short strawberry blond hair and blue eyes. She imagined he was usually a very nice person but he had been anything but when Max had brought them back to the car. After the two had bickered about how long it had taken her to come back his attention had slipped to the twins standing on each side of Max, each holding one of her hands. Angel could have sworn he'd turned purple and she knew it wasn't from the cold. His jaw had set and he'd stormed off to the car which Max ushered them into a few minutes later. She understood his reaction, he had specifically told Max not to break the rules before they had even set foot in the car but he knew it would make no difference, Max did whatever she wanted no matter the consequences and that made him fiercely protective of his little sister.

Zephyr tugged at Angel's dress to get her attention again and she dutifully turned back to her brother. "You're doing it again." he accused, frowning at her.

She huffed and crossed her arms, "They're all so _loud_." she complained, resting her head on Max's shoulder.

"You promised you wouldn't." Was the pleading reply she got from her brother.

Suddenly out of the blue Max spoke before Angel could reply, "this isn't the way we come." she noted with a frown. The scene had only just registered, instead of the cleared road and trimmed hedges that they had arrived on they were in a thick forest, trees scratching against the sides of the car as it passed.

The tense man, Iggy, irritably commented, "Detour, the road was blocked with soviet vans. It would have taken hours to get through and I don't think they'd take too kindly to us leaving with a few of their latest attractions." Voice laced with disgust his eyes ran over the five additions to their group.

The woman he had chosen, Ella, sat across from him, a dazed look in her dark eyes, her long black hair whipped around her face from the wind coming in through the window she'd opened.

No one had complained when she had done it, they had seen the crematoriums burnt to the ground, seen the gas chambers with twisted pieces of metal dotting the long black rectangles which had once been fake showerheads. No, they would not protest even if the cold made their teeth chatter because they understood the need to not feel trapped.

One of the twins Max's had brought sat on her lap and the boy pressed against her side, curled up with Max's arm around him protectively. He was absolutely furious with Max for once again going against the rules but he couldn't say he hadn't expected it, that was the way she was and he knew there was nothing that could get her to change.

Another little boy, Ari, sat beside Monique. He had short brown hair and glazed light brown eyes which kept moving from Monique to the door, to the open window and back. He constantly shifted in his seat, never keeping still.

Lastly there was Dylan, the golden-haired man Sam had chosen, he was the most battered of the lot with a large purpling bruise along his left cheek and a deep cut across his arm which Iggy new needed stitches but that would have to wait until they returned to the manor.

Suddenly the car jerked to a halt, his arm shot out to steady Ella and Nudge while Max gripped Angel and Zephyr to stop them from flying into the others.

"What the hell?" Max hissed and knocked on the wall separating the driver from everyone else but there was no reply. Sliding Angel off her lap Max got out the car to ask what was going on and stopped when she noticed the driver on his knees beside a body half covered with snow. He had his fingers pressed to the man's throat and his head shot up when he heard Max coming.

"He's alive." The driver announced and Max could just make out the feint rise and fall of the man's chest.

She rushed to the driver's side, and brushed off the snow collecting on the man who was shivering uncontrollably.

"Get my brother!" She barked more harshly than intended but the driver didn't seem to care. He jumped up and rushed to do as he was told. Seconds later Iggy had dropped down beside Max who had shrugged off her jacket to lay it over the man.

"Max, he's been out here a long time," her brother started hesitantly once he had given the man a once over. "I don't think he'll make it to the manor."

Max sucked in a breath, "So, what? You're just going to leave him here to die? Are you seriously telling me Jeffry Griffiths that you are going to get back in that car and drive away without doing something?" She made a disgusted noise, "You and I both know you wouldn't be able to do that so help me get him get him in the car."

"There isn't any space," He tried to reason but she was having none of it, she hooked her arms under the man and started to lift him up.

Giving in Iggy helped her carry the man back to the car where Monique and Sam were talking with Angel and Gazzy. The conversation dropped the second they caught sight of Max and Iggy.

"Oh my god!" Monique gasped, "Is he alive?"

"Yes, but he won't be for long unless we leave now." Iggy said calmly, "Angel, Zephyr would you please sit by Monique." The twins scrambled to the other side of the car, Angel onto Monique's lap and Gazzy right beside her with Ari on Monique's other side. "Ella, if you could stay where you are, I need you to help me lift him into the seat."

Ella nodded and shifted to manoeuvre the man onto the seat with his feet on her lap. She winced at the feel of his ice-cold legs but didn't comment, she knew what it was like to be frozen to the bone.

Iggy climbed back into the car next and then Max with the man's head in her lap with her coat and Iggy's thrown over him. White snow crystals clung to his longish black hair along with his thick lashes, his lips were an unsettling blue and ice clung to his curled up fists.

Max placed her hands on his cheeks, ignoring the cold that numbed her hands as she did so, her eyes running over the gash along his forehead and the other various cuts and scrapes. She felt slightly dizzy, would he make it? Were they too late? God, she hoped not.

**Part 7: Awake **

Through blurry eyes, Fang saw the dim figures that loomed above him. _It's them!_ he thought, panicking. _They're back for us!_ He fought against the restraints instinct taking over, finally breaking through the one that strapped his left arm and managed to clip one of the figure's face. "He's panicking; get the anaesthetic!" Someone yelled. He continued to thrash even more violently this time, his heart thumping painfully in his chest. Fang could feel the sharp sting of pain on his back as he was forced down.

"This one's a fighter," Murmured another voice as they fought to restrain him. _Damn right_, Fang thought grimly he wasn't going back, he'd got out and he would rather die than go back to that hellhole. He felt weight on his arms and legs but couldn't see what was holding him down, his vision had started to blur and his eyelids felt extremely heavy. He thrashed around but the anaesthetic got the better of him, his limbs going numb and the pain in his back dimming.

He didn't wake for two days. When he finally did regain consciousness in the dim room he could only see a blurred figure with brown hair. _Female_, he thought, squinting slightly. She walked toward him and laid a cool hand on his forehead before murmuring something he couldn't quite understand. His eyelids began to flutter shut once again but he tried to fight the black ribbons that crept across his vision.

The woman spoke again, the words blurring together and it took everything in him to hear what she said, "…sleep." She whispered gently, brushing his hair out of his face.

Finally, exhausted he surrendered, the blackness taking over his vision. The last thing he saw was another woman with bright red hair entering and yanking the first woman away.

Sunlight filtered through Fang's closed eyes, dying his eyelids bright pink. He tried to block it out and return to his dreams but the light was unrelenting. Finally he gave up and opened his eyes, blinking several times to clear his sleepy vision. His eyes flitted from the bed he was lying in – a large wooden four poster bed with a thick dark blue feather duvet - to a door where a washroom was visible through the opening, to the window where sunlight was pouring in, and around the spacious rectangular room.

Where the hell was he? Hissing, he tried to force himself into a sitting position but his limbs wouldn't cooperate. Cursing quietly, he shifted back down and tried to collect his thoughts. He had to be still dreaming. Shaking his head, he slumped back down on his pillow. There was a slight throbbing pain near his temple and he reached up a shaky hand. There was a fresh bandage wrapped neatly around his cut. He made to rip it off but froze when he heard sounds outside the door.

"Don't tell me what to do, Lissa. He is my patient; I have the right to see him," snapped an angry voice.

"And I am his nurse! He hasn't fully recuperated from his surgery yet!" retorted another. Surgery? He had been in surgery? He could hardly keep the bile back. _Did they insert a tracking device in him? Did they decide to experiment on him as well?_ He thought bitterly, trying to keep the panicky feeling rising in him at bay. The angry voices outside continued.

"When a patient is under _my_ care, a _physiatrist_, not a measly nurse, I have the right to see and check up on them whenever I want," said one person, continuing angrily even as the other tried to cut in. "Maybe you would have had the chance to do this if you hadn't slacked off. And don't blame me for not getting your certificate! It was your entire idea and if I didn't want to do it then it was my choice. Besides, Iggy told me he would be fine to see now, you know, since he's the _surgeon_." There was an aggravated huff/shriek and Fang heard footsteps stomping loudly away from the door.

There was a click as a key was inserted and Fang immediately froze, casting a mask over his face, and bracing himself for some sadistic scientist/doctor holding a needle filled with some kind of liquid to burst in and jab it into his arm. He closed his eyes slightly but still open enough for him to see the figure that slid through the open door and shut it quietly, locking it behind her.

_That's the key_, he had to stop himself from jumping up and taking it right then. The key to his freedom from this…from this….from wherever he was! He just needed to get it. He watched as the woman linked the key onto a silver chain and…pulled it over her head? It was a necklace? Great, there was no way he'd ever get it now, he thought sourly. She had brown hair that was sun streaked so it was a mixture of brown and blonde, glinting in the light. Her skin was tanned and she was dressed in a simple black pencil skirt and a white blouse with simple black flat shoes.

She took a few breaths, muttering angrily under her breath as she moved around the room, she picked up a glass pitcher he hadn't noticed before from the beside table and disappeared into the bathroom but before he could even think of trying to run she was back, the pitcher filled with fresh water.

She was still muttering to herself and shaking her head but when she looked up sh almost dropped the pitcher when she realised he was awake. Water splashed out of the pitcher, landing on the parquet flooring.

"You're awake." She gasped, chocolate eyes wide with surprise.

**Fangrules: phew, glad i finaly got that done. sorry for the long wait guys but Goldensunflowers andi have both been really busy, i went to London for the last five days of my Hols and i didn't have enough time to finish the chapter and also Goldensunflowers is on a cruise and doesn't have internet access so this chapter is mostly me again, sorry and as such hasn't been edited. it's quite a long one so i hope it was worth the wait. i'm kinda putting this up without Goldensunflowers even knowing but i decided that it had been long enough and i should probably update. Sorry if you don't like it Mich!**

**Less than 10= two weeks**

**10-15=a week**

**15-20=ASAP**

**REVIEWS=LUV  
>LUV=INSPIRATION<br>INSPIRATION=UPDATES**

**Fangrules+Goldensunflowers**


	5. Part 8

**Part 8:Safe**

– 2 days before –

The car rolled to a halt in front of the massive, intricate wooden doors to the manor. They had barely come to a complete stop before Iggy had thrown open the door, calling out for assistance. Instantly a handful of staff materialized to help carry the unconscious man from the car.

"Prep him for surgery, right now." Iggy ordered, already marching purposefully inside with a fiery redhead at his side, rattling away instructions to her.

Max's eyes lingered on her brother's back for a second, tightly wondering if he could indeed save the man. She snapped herself out of those thoughts to turn towards the others in the car. Sam had already climbed out along with Nudge. The girl, Ella was still staring blankly out the window as she had been for the last three hours of the drive while Dylan got out along with Ari who had tears pooled in his troubled brown eyes.

Nudge wrapped him in a hug instantly, whispering assuring things to him as she headed into the house.

Angel and Zephyre set their big blue eyes on Max expectantly, Angel swinging her legs beside her brother.

Aware that contact was not the best option Max smiled at the twins then turned to Ella, "Ella. We're here. I'm afraid my brother will be indisposed for the next few hours so why don't you come with me and we'll get you settled in?"

Ella gave no indication she'd heard a word, continuing to gaze out the window.

Max waited patiently, waving away the three remaining staff on hand to help. They hesitated for a second, the silent 'are you sure' clinging to their eyes.

Max nodded and they dispersed.

Finally Ella sighed softly and set her calm eyes on Max. "Ok." She whispered.

Taking her cue Max climbed out to help the twins down, Angel instantly taking her hand with Zephyre following suite.

Ella quietly trailed slightly behind as Max made her way across the large entry hall to the ornate marble stairs leading to the second floor. Their shoes clicked softly on the stone, the only sound in the silent manor. The walls were panelled with dark wood, oil lamps bathing the hall in a warm light. Small tables sat between each of the doors, a bouquet of bright flowers breaking the sombre atmosphere.

Angel hummed softly from beside Max, a barely visible smile gracing her thin face seemingly already at home with her surroundings. Zephyre on the other hand clutched Max's hand tightly, hiding behind her legs where he stayed until they reached the first of the rooms.

Waiting by the open door to the blue and silver room was a black haired portly woman dressed in the standard grey dress and apron of the staff. She smiled warmly down at the twins as Max approached, pity lining her green eyes.

Max released the twins' hands to kneel beside them, "This is Catherine. She's going to get you both cleaned up ok?"

Zephyre looked nervously at her, his crystal eyes displaying just how much he didn't like that plan.

Max gave his arm a gentle squeeze, "I'll be right back, I promise."

Angel slipped her hand into her brothers for support and after sharing a look he nodded and allowed angel to tug him into the room behind Catherine.

Ella and Max had barely made it a few feet down the corridor before a door in front of them burst out and the other little boy, Ari stumbled into the hall, tears tracking down his cheeks. He shook violently from head to toe, hands clasped against his ears as he yelled a string of unintelligible words.

A second later Nudge rushed out the room, her dress soaked and sticking to her body with April, another of the staff members clutching her arm.

Max rushed forward to help, recognizing the panic attack as Nudge knelt down beside the boy, trying to calm him down.

"No! No!" Ari screamed, thrashing wildly out of Nudge's arms before tripping and falling to the carpet. He whimpered and curled up into a ball, his hands still firmly held over his ears to block out sounds that no one but he could hear.

Nudge looked up at Max, a plea glistening in her dark eyes.

"Don't touch him, it will only make it worse." Max advised, kneeling beside her friend. "What happened?"

Nudge sniffled, "The bath. Oh god, Max, I was so _stupid_! I didn't think it through! The second he saw the water he burst into tears and April tried to calm him down but he bit her when she lifted him to put him in!" Nudge rambled on in her distress, throwing her hands up as she talked.

"It's ok, Nudge. You didn't know." Max hushed, stroking Nudge's back comfortingly.

"What's going on?" Sam gruffly enquired, appearing from another of the doors. He took one look down at the scene and sighed. "April, would you please fetch the anaesthetic."

"No!" Max snapped, her arm shooting out to grab the blond girl's hand. "No. He will not be given a single thing without his consent. He just needs a few minutes to calm down." Max released her tight grip on April's hand, giving her an apologetic smile.

They had all completely forgotten the fact that Ella was still in the hall until Max heard rushed whispers.

She turned to find Ella leaning against the panelling with her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them and her face hidden by a curtain of black hair.

Ari had already begun to calm down, his death grip on his head loosening fractionally. "Give him a moment and possibly skip the bath. Just take it very slowly, make sure he understands that he won't be forced to do anything and you need to live up to that ok? Ask him first, don't just assume he'll do it because we would." Max whispered to Nudge who nodded and settled down on the carpet.

Max stood to deal with Ella, sliding down the wall to sit beside her.

"…it hurts. It hurts. Please, please no…" Ella sobbed into her knees, rocking back and forth.

Twisting her body to look at her Max tenderly tucked her hair behind her ear to see her eyes squeezed shut. "Ella. Ella, it's Max. It's alright, they're not going to hurt you again. I promise, they're not going to hurt you." Max assured, careful to keep the contact to a minimum.

Ella went rigid for a moment then she tipped her head to the side to peer over at Max through her tears. "They're all dead." She murmured, her voice so small and broken Max had to strain to hear her.

Max didn't know who she was talking about but had a feeling it was the girl's family and so she sighed, "Yes. They're dead, but you're _alive_. They'd want you to live, don't you think?"

Ella's bottom lip wobbled but she gave a jerky nod. "Yes."

Max smiled encouragingly at her, "Would you like to clean up? You can have a bath or a shower and get something warm on if you'd like?"

Ella didn't reply for a long moment and Max was about to assure her that she didn't have to if she didn't want to Ella got to her feet. She gazed down at the ripped and filthy rags she wore. "Get them off." She hissed venomously, her hands balling into fists.

"Alright. Come with me and we'll get you some clean clothes." Max gestured to the door beside Ari's room and Ella hesitantly entered. It was a warm, cosy room despite its size. Painted with a dark cream the white wooden furniture stood out.

A queen sized white bed frame rested against the right wall with a matching make-up desk sitting across from it. A large white armoire took up the length of the back wall, two full length mirrors decorating the two middle doors. A light brown carpet adorned the light brown wooden flooring while a small lamp cast a welcoming glow across the room from the white bedside table. A set of double doors led off into a beautifully decorated en suite straight out of a flashy magazine Nudge was so fond of reading. The entire mansion really was absolutely stunning. A third woman stepped out of the en suite, drying her hands on her apron and humming softly to herself.

"Oh, Max dear. I had thought your brother would be escorting Miss Ella to her room." Sophie's green eyes sparkled as she smiled at Max and Ella who still stood a little behind Max.

Max shrugged, "My brother is otherwise occupied." She said simply.

Sophie tutted, shaking her greying head, "Men. Claim to want to change the world but when it comes down to it it's always the woman who does the work."

Max laughed, "Unfortunately it's my fault this time. One of our other…guests needed his attention immediately."

The sparkle instantly winked out of Sophie's eyes, "Of course. I have taken the liberty of running Miss Ella a bath and her clothes are being arranged as we speak." Sophie explained, pity evident in her words.

"Thank you, Sophie." Max turned to Ella who was once again gazing out the massive windows. "Ella, I have to check on the twins but Sophie will help you with anything you need. If there are any problems I will be two doors down." With that Max nodded to Sophie and left.

Suddenly a thin hand grabbed hold of Max's upper arm, the grip loose but enough to make Max pause.

Ella stared up at Max, her eyes as wide as saucers, her face ghostly pale.

Max considered her response before prying Ella's hand from her arm and giving it a squeeze. "No one in this house is going to harm you, Ella. No one would dream of it. We are all here for one reason; to help you get your lives back. Never doubt that." She assured in a calm voice then added after glancing at Sophie, "Sophie's son was sent to Auschwitz three months ago. He did not survive the experience."

Ella looked completely taken aback by Max's words but still clutched the woman's hand tightly in her own.

Max released Ella's hand, "She is here for you. So that no one else loses their life because of that place."

Ella's eyes swam with indecision but after a sad chuckle from Sophie to break the thick silence she was coaxed into the bathroom with Sophie rattling away about how lovely the lavender shampoo was.

Once positive that Ella was not about to re-enact Ari's earlier panic attack Max left to check up on the twins.

Unlike the trouble she'd had with the others Max happily heard giggles and squeals coming from the en suite in their room.

She knocked on the door to alert everyone of her presence and poked her head inside. The floor was completely covered with water, the occasional bubble gliding across the marble floor as they spilled from the slipper bath that both Angel and Zephyre were playing in.

Catherine stood slightly to the side, a pleased smile tipping the edges of her lips as she watched them.

Angel's head whipped over to Max, practically glowing as she grinned up at the woman with bubbles covering her wet blond curls. "Max!" She cheered, waving enthusiastically at her.

Zephyre looked over in curiosity, a light blush covering his usually pale features.

Max looked at them with a smile spreading across her face. These two children had been through more than she could imagine and she would do the best she could to help them regain their innocence and the life they should have had. Her eyes clouded as she thought and Zephyr looked at her face. _She looks upset…I know we have to be on guard. I'm not going to leave Angel this easily. _ He looked back down and gazed at the bubbles and the water on the floor as if first noticing them. "Sorry," he mumbled. Angel looked at him once, her eyes wide before understanding.

"She's not mad at you, silly!" she said, giggling and patting his hand. Max furrowed her brow. She knelt by the bath, not caring if her dress was going to get soaked. "I'm not mad, Zephyr. It's okay. A little water never hurt anyone, right?" She smiled and he gave a wary smile back. Angel on the other hand was still happily playing with the bubbles that still remained in the tub. "Hey Max!" she said. Max turned her way to be met with a mini tidal wave of water and bubbles. _SPLASH! _They soaked her face, hair, and the rest of her clothes. Gazzy stiffened, ready for Max to pull out some kind of torture device and shove them into it. Instead, Max looked down at her clothes and wet hair then started to laugh.

Catherine looked on from the corner, her smile growing wider with every passing minute. The kids had been wary of her when Max had left them in her care. The little blond girl warmed up to her quite quickly while the boy, her brother, had to be coaxed into the tub with the help of his sister and a promise of extra bubbles.

After a few more minutes, Max straightened from her position on the floor and turned to Catherine. "Thank you, Catherine. I wish I could stay but I need to go check on the rest of our guests. I'll be back later to bring them to their rooms."

Catherine nodded. "I-ah..I wasn't sure what we would do with their…clothing." It could hardly be called clothing; they were more rags.

Max's eyes narrowed with determination. "They must be burnt. We cannot allow any diseases to pass on to anyone and they will never and I repeat _never_, wear those things again." Catherine nodded in understanding. Max straightened.

"I'll have a staff member come in later to collect them, but I do need to go. Thank you so much, Catherine." In an unexpected move, she gave the woman a hug.

Catherine's heart warmed. _She truly has a pure heart, _she thought as Max released her. "Sorry. I don't usually express that much emotion."

Catherine chuckled before making a shooing motion. "Off you go now!" Max laughed before waving goodbye to the twins, telling them she would be back soon before opening the door and closing it quietly.

Catherine helped Angel out of the tub and wrapped her in a thick fluffy towel and did the same to Zephyr. After dressing them, Catherine led them out of their en suite and into a comfortable room decorated with colourful maps lining the bright rainbow walls and low bookshelves running the length of the room. Two white rocking chairs sat near the bay window that was piled high with multi-coloured pillows and a large antique trunk sat just to the left of the pillow pyramid. Once they settled onto a soft couch in the corner of the room Catherine assured them that Max would be back soon before, leaving the door open, she moved to clean the mess in the bathroom.

Angel fidgeted with the fabric of her white knee length dress that hung loose on her skinny frame. It was so soft, compared to the dirty and torn rags she had shed before her bath-a luxury she hadn't experienced in ages as well. Zephyr too, was outfitted in brand new clothing. She reached out and took his hand, squeezing tightly. He glanced over, his eyes still shadowed with wariness.

She looked at him, her eyes assuring that yes, she was still there; yes, they had survived; yes, it was finally, finally over. He didn't look much more relieved but she could see his posture relax slightly. She stretched out her feet which had been outfitted in soft flats and observed the room. The circus wallpaper was new and beautifully detailed with intricate detailing along the ceiling and the baseboards. The floor was hardwood and stained a dark brown and was smoothed and furniture looked expensive as everything else occupying the room…but from what she'd seen, what wasn't in this mansion?

When she spotted the trunk, she hopped off the couch and peered in. With a gasp, she beckoned to Zephyr. He approached cautiously, like there was something in the trunk that he didn't want to and shouldn't see. It was filled to the brim with toys and games. Angel reached in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She pulled out a puzzle, a colourful picture depicting the scene of a busy market. Together, they sprawled onto the floor and that was how Max found them fifteen minutes later, puzzle pieces scattered all around. She watched the two blonde heads close together with a warm heart as they fitted piece by piece of the puzzle.

**Fangrules: Hello everyone! yes, i have posted this chapter since it's been sitting on my laptop for over a year now...it's been so long i can't even remember who wrote what part of it O.o. i do hope you enjoyed it and i'm sure the amazing Goldensunflowers will have something to say too :-)**

**REVIEWS=LUV**

**LUV=INSPIRATION**

**INSPIRATION=UPDATES**

**Fangrules+Goldensunflowers**


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